Wednesday, February 29, 2012

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person’s darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude... until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world’s most infamous vampire...

He’s the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all — but whatever you do, don’t call him Dracula. Vlad’s ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him – a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames." (-Goodreads)

Why I am waiting:The last few books by Jeaniene Frost have had Vlad in them, and he always intrigues me. I really want to know more about him. He has a super strong power that others fear, so it will be nice to see him with an equally strong lady. It will also be interesting to see what the story contains since he is such a well known character. He will also have his own series. There is currently a contract for two books in his branch off series.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Review:
Do you like strong characters that continue to grow and develop? Not to mention kick butt fight scenes. Then this is the series for you! Yasmine Galenorn has a round robin series, where the POV is changed in each book to a different lead character. IE: Book 1: Camille, Book 2: Delilah, Book 3: Menolly, Book 4: Camille, etc. I find this method refreshing and you get to know the main characters even better since you are seeing things through their eyes. Each book is not the same plot, and the story continually progresses.

In Shaded Vision (book 11), Delilah is the lead character and she is personally my favorite. Her character continues to grow up and be a strong woman that was not really there in the beginning of the series. There were a few parts that I did not like, such as talk of hair balls and litter boxes that she is too lazy to clean which has popped up in a few of the other books. Some events that happen are Iris bachelorette party and wedding, a bombing, a family secret revealed, fight scenes and much more. I could not put this book down, it kept me entertained and wanting to read more. Now to wait until the next book is released.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Julep is a subscription service kind of like Birchbox or MyGlam, but they send out nail polish. I received the February 2012 box and got a gorgeous red polish a gold glitter polish and a cuticle oil! They also threw in a little extra since the Oscars are this month and included a little chocolate stamped in the shape of an Oscar.

Basically you sign up and take their quiz and based on your answers it selects a box it thinks that you will like. If you don't like it, you can click to see the other options that are available for that month and choose any of those. Use the code below to get your first month (for new subscribers ONLY) for only a penny! You do not have to continue your subscription, you can cancel at any time. If you want to skip a month and not be charged you can do so by going to your account page and pressing the "Skip the Month" button.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Bryn Davis, an ex-military woman who is not afraid to be around death gets a job at a funeral home. She teams up with Patrick McCallister, a sexy agent man, to help take down a pharmaceutical company which has an evil plan. There are zombies, crazy scientists, secret agents, and evil villians in this book. It was a fast read and kept my interest the entire way. I wouldn't say this was a mystery or who-dun-it sort of book since it is kind of laid out for you the entire way. This is a must read since there is a little bit of everything.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I was selected to get a free bag of Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares (Milk & Truffle) from SheSpeaks. SheSpeaks is a great website that allows women to be sent products to review/try which suit what they are interested in.

What I was sent:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares - Milk & Truffle (4.63 oz)

$1 Off 2 Bags - Coupons (qty: 2)

Paper with a little bit of information about the chocolate

Where to buy:
I have seen Ghirardelli sold at Target and Walgreens.

Review:
I have never eaten a Ghirardelli chocolate before, but this will not be my last! It is a delicious milk chocolate that melts in your mouth. At the very first bite I was delighted to find that there is a truffle creamy filling. It tastes delicious, and I know it will be a hit with my boyfriend. I will be buying these from now on when I want chocolate. Thank you for the opportunity to try these Ghirardelli & SheSpeaks.

Trying to show you the inside of the chocolate.

Disclaimer: I was sent the product(s) to review. The review is 100% truthful and in my own words.

Premier Eye Cream: I will not be using this, it will probably be given away. Premier Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask: I will not be using this since some people said it burned really badly when they used it. No thanks!

X Out - Shine Control: I will use this to help keep shine at bay. I'm not super excited to be getting a proactive brand product, but I will give it a try.

NYX Roll on Shimmer - PURPLE: Gorgeous color that I will use. Some people are posting that it has huge glitter, but mine does not seem to. Now to just figure out how to wear it since it is a roller ball applicator.

Freeman Facial Enzyme Mask - Pineapple: I received the pineapple Freeman mask. I'm deathly allergic to pineapples. I know companies like MyGlam/Birchbox/etc cannot do anything about products that people might be allergic to, so it does not really upset me. I will probably try to switch it out at Walmart or Walgreens/CVS.

NuMe Gift Card/Coupon: I'm not too thrilled about the NuMe "gift card"/coupon. The cheapest styling tool is the mini flat iron for $115. Which means you have to actually pay for the left over amount. So you would pay $15, plus the shipping & handling which is $12. I will not be using this. If you really want this coupon code let me know and I will send it to you.

February Shipping:
MyGlam claims that they will have shipped out all bags by the end of this week, so 2/17/12 or 2/19/12. I emailed them about it since it doesn't take very long to get a tracking number from most companies. This was MyGlam's copy/paste response which I saw someone else post on MyGlam's Facebook (they sent me this exact message too).

"You're on our shipping list for February, so you'll be receiving your Glam Bag shortly. The Glam Bags are still being shipped out throughout the end of the week. The shipping is standard ground via USPS and UPS, so you should get your bag within 5 to 7 business days after it ships. You will receive an email with tracking information once your tracking number is activated. Thank you so much! xoxo
Amy with MyGlam"

Thanks for not actually answering my question and just giving me a generic email. :( I am not very impressed with how they handle interaction with their customers (subscribers). The products seem to be going downhill fast so we will see how long I stay. I don't want to unsubscribe, because you know that will be the month that it will go smoothly and they send out something awesome.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Step 1: Buy a book - Goodwill and Half Price Books both have a nice selection for cheap books. Check out the clearance section at Half Price Books for the dollar books. Garage/Yard/Estate sales also have pretty cheap books most of the time.

Step 2: Take your Xacto knife and cut the pages in the desired shape. You will continue doing this until you reach the last page. Trim any stragglers until it looks as perfect as what you want (you can do this with scissors if you want). I took a post card and cut around it since the shape was perfect.

Step 3: Now that all of the pages are cut it is time to glue! If using a hard back book put the dust jacket back on and glue the back flap down on the inside of the back of the book.

Step 4: Drizzle glue lightly around the last paper page of the book (facing the back cover). Take your paint brush and spread the glue to cover the entire last paper page. Press it firmly against the back of the book so it sticks.

Optional: If you are not lining the inside walls of your book with cardstock I would recommend you do this after Step 4. Glue a piece of card stock so that is what you see when you open the safe. It will show as the bottom of the hole and give it a nice finished look.

Step 5: Apply glue to the paint brush and spread the glue all along the inside cuts you made. You will need to put quite a bit so it holds it firmly. Gently lift the pages slightly along the cuts you made and apply glue randomly throughout the pages (near the edges of where you cut ONLY)!

Step 6: Allow to dry

Step 7 (OPTIONAL): While letting the glue dry, measure the hole (length, width and depth) so you can cut your card stock to fit it. Cut a rectangle on the card stock paper that suits your length + depth, and width + depth. Fold the paper so each side has the allotted depth.

I used some of my leftover scrapbooking paper. My inner space was 6" x 4" with a 1" depth on each side. This means that I had to cut a 8" x 6" rectangle on the card stock so I could cover the inside. I then folded all 4 sides by one inch.

Step 8 (OPTIONAL): On all 4 sides (in the CORNER ONLY) you will need to make a cut the length of the depth. This allows you to use the flaps so the paper creates a rectangle bowl shape. Tape the flaps together so it holds that shape. Check to make sure it fits! If it does not fit you will need to make minor adjustments such as folding a little bit more if one side does not fit in the hole. Apply double sided tape (or spread glue) to all 4 sides sticking up as well as the bottom. Place it into the hole and press firmly so it will stay in place!

Step 9: Fill it with whatever you want and go put it on your bookshelf!

I recently found out there is a store that carries the overstock of makeup that companies do not sell off. The store name is The Cosmetic Company Store, or Cosmetic Company Outlet depending on what area you live in. It is commonly referred to as CCO or CCS. It is generally found in outlet malls so check to see if there is one near you.

They carry Estee Lauder brands; MAC, Smashbox, Bobby Brown, Estee Lauder and Clinque (possibly more) are all carried in the store. They sell the make up for around 30% off retail price, which is awesome! The products are 100% real, they are from the actual companies, they are not fake imitations which could be harmful.

Monday, February 13, 2012

I got a surprise in the mail this weekend. It was my February Birchbox, which normally arrives way later than this. Birchbox finally decided to drop Streamlite, which is an extremely slow shipment company. They used UPS Innovations this month, which is when Birchbox drops it off at UPS and then UPS delivers it to a USPS close to you. My box was shipped on the 8th, and delivered on the 11th.

1. BeautyBlender
*Can't wait to use this!
*It was okay? I don't see what the big deal was over this. It works, but so does applying normally. I will keep using it to see if I get impressed.
Worth: $19.95

2. Dermalogica | Daily Microfoliant | .45oz
*I have never heard of this, but will give it a try.
*It is a super soft way to cleanse your face. I like it, but would not pay high dollar for it.
Worth: $8.65

4. Jouer | Luminizing Moisture Tint | 0.07 oz
*The smallest sample ever. I keep wanting Jouer products as samples from Birchbox but they are itty bitty where you can't really try the product before you decide to buy it.
*Pretty, but very light coverage. I would not use this in everyday life.
Worth: $1.48

Sunday, February 12, 2012

I ran into this company while watching some random YouTube video a few months ago. I was intrigued but didn't purchase it. Someone on MakeUpTalk (a makeup forum) posted about it and I was like oh yeah, I wanted to try that company out! I got lucky because they had a coupon code listed for $25 off of a $50 order.

You can buy individually but it is better if you buy multiple products.

They also have "looks" that they sell as a bundle for $50 each. This includes 5 products and they show you how sexy you can be by showing a picture of a lady wearing that makeup. Anyway, I purchased the look called "The Bold and the Beautiful", which totaled to $25 after the coupon. Plus they do free shipping on orders over $19, and it arrives super fast. I ordered and got mine within 3 days!

Review:1. Lip Gloss - Last Call Girl: Super pigmented, it isn't a color I am really comfortable wearing, but it is still gorgeous. It is super glossy, and a little goes a LONG way. Do not apply a ton of it on or you will waste quite a bit.

3. Eyeliner - Onyx: I am in LOVE with this eyeliner. It is seriously like a felt tip pen that gives off a dark line that doesn't smudge. I am super picky about eye liner since my eye lids tend to get oily and make me look like a raccoon if I'm wearing any eyeliner. I can already tell I will be buying more of this.

4. Blush - Blind Date: Very pigmented, so use a little and build it up if you want color. Gorgeous shade and cute little case.

5. Eye Shadow - Rock Bottom: This eye shadow is really pretty. I wasn't sure since it is a coral-tan color but I am a believer now. I have worn it almost every day since I got it. It goes on smoothly, does not look caked on, has not creased or anything.